Analysis: Moyes' Toffees moving in right direction

[Getty Images] Manager David Moyes will be delighted at the start his Everton side have made to the campaign. The Toffees won none of their final seven games as they finished 13th last season and missed out on the European qualification that at one stage had been within their grasp. Everton also suffered a tough end to the transfer window, with key attacking midfielder Iliman Ndiaye going to Manchester City in a £65m deal and striker Beto, their top scorer last season, leaving for Fiorentina for £14.6m. Both of those deals were completed on transfer deadline day, with Moyes unable to bring in a replacement striker, leaving him short of attacking options until January, unless he can find a suitable player to sign out of contract. Therefore, it has been vital that Thierno Barry, their only recognised senior centre-forward, has stepped up this season. He got eight goals in all competitions in 2025-26 and now has five already this term - two in the Premier League and a hat-trick in the 4-0 win over Preston in the Carabao Cup - and was named as player of the match here. Another boost for Moyes would have been a first league start of the campaign for Jack Grealish, who returned to the club on a second successive season-long loan from Manchester City. Operating on the left wing, Grealish got a superb reception from fans when he was substituted after 79 minutes. Another plus for Everton was the clean sheet, their fifth in seven games in all competitions, with Jarrad Branthwaite among those to be excellent after being named in Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the upcoming Nations League matches against Spain, the Czech Republic and Croatia.